So has anyone had the new Harmony test done as does it really have a 98% pick up rate?

[PatioDweller]

Hi, just discovered I'm pregnant again and whilst googling I came across the new Harmony test. It seems to good to be true but as it is being offered by the fetal medicine centre then obviously it's not.

It's very expensive but as I'm 42, it would certainly put my mind at rest and hopefully eliminate the need for an invasive test like amnio.Plus they will confirm the baby's gender with the full results at 12wks.

I just wondered if anyone else had had it done as it seems fairly new. The centre I have spoken too in central London (not FMC) have quoted 98% pick up rate which sounds amazing. Any experiences would be good to hear, thanks.

Hi patio . There's a great thread on this in antenatal choices section that I'm sure you'll find very informative. I'm 43 and had the harmony myself at 13 weeks at FMC - can't recommend the place highly enough. They didn't offer to report on the sex when I had my test, although this might just be my experience. I had in mind a cvs when I booked my nuchal there, and was really glad to hear the harmony was available. It was 'free' with the nuchal when I had it (ie. £180 all in) but sadly I think that offer's now up? Good luck with whatever you decide - the 'good' result has certainly helped me relax with the rest of the pregnancy (currently 34 wks).

Yes, that offer finished at the end of August. I get my results back tomorrow so I will let you know what I think of it!
If you want to know the sex you have to ask at the beginning. It's an extra test that can be included and costs a tenner more. We are having a surprise.

I had it last week - pretty much for the same reasons you are considering it!

I am 41 and expecting second child. With my first, 4 years ago, I had a 1:150 chance. I didn't have any more testing and DD was fine.

But I suspected that, with my increase in years, I stood a good chance of getting worse odds and then having to consider an amnio.

Well, my mind was put at rest! My odds came back at 1:10,000. And then they do a more 'conventional' scan so you get a full breakdown of measurements and markers.

I got the cheap deal of £180 and you had to be between 10 weeks and 10 weeks and 6 days to qualify for that.

If you go to the FMC in Harley St they are very nice and it's very posh. It's ALMOST a treat. And I sat next to a pop star in the waiting room, so if that's not value for money I don't know what is!

I say go for it - the thought of an unnecessary amnio and associated risks was haunting me a bit...(although I chose not to learn the gender which I was told was highly unusual!)

Thanks ladies. We didn't find out the sex with the others but having one of each already has somehow made me keen to find out this time, though we're not at all bothered either way. I will remember to make sure I ask at the time.

Unfortunately, I can't go to the FMC as DH is away during the small window that they offered me. I am using another reputable London clinic but the cost is £800 so not cheap but very worth the peace of mind it will give me. The pick up rate seemed fantastic though. Almost too good to be true for a non invasive test.

And thanks, Diege, I will check out the thread in that section. I should have searched really. Glad to hear all 3 of you have had positive experiences though. Thanks

Hi patio, I also had it at the FMC at 10 weeks when the offer for £180 was on. I am 35 but did it because SIL had a baby with downs syndrome which was discovered at birth and it was a very upsetting even for everyone in the immediate family. DH was keen on me having amnio irrespective of the combined test result but thankfully, we found out about the Harmony in time. It was money well spent - I had scans at 10 and 12 weeks as well as the Harmony test included in that price. I think if you were to do it now that the offer is over you would pay £400 (wasn't given the option to find out the sex) For the record, I went without DH as it was after work and someone had to look after DD. Also please bear in mind that with the Harmony the result is either positive (1:2 chance for trisomies) or negative (1:10000 chance for trisomies). Good luck!

I'm getting my results from the FMC tomorrow as well rosyryan - I just scraped in with the special offer, very lucky! I paid the extra tenner.

Yes, it is as good as "they" say it is.. as close to diagnostic as you can get without actually being diagnostic. You get either 1 in 2, or 1 in 10,000 - none of the numbers in the middle like with the standard NHS NT screening. Most people are funnily enough happy with 1 in 10,000 although obviously around 1 in 10,000 of those will have an inaccurate result. If you need to know without question and can deal with the risk factor of losing the baby, there there is still amnio and CVS, but like anything they're still subject to human error with lab results etc after all.

Thank you both. I've been quoted £750. The FMC price was cheaper at £580 but they couldn't fit me in when I wanted to go which is my fault really due to DH being overseas too often.
I've now found the other thread too so thank you.

Will the FMC give you Harmony without the NT scan, as that sounds like the price WITH the NT scan. You can get Harmony done from 10 weeks onwards, so you wouldn't necessarily need DH there for that if they did Harmony-only? After all, the results are the scary bit!

Thanks, I don't need him to be there but to look after our older ones as we don't have any other means of childcare.

Sorry, didn't mean that to sound so abrupt.

Heh, I know what you mean - did you see my other thread I posted today about most of my scans being on my own for that very reason?

If it is just the blood test I find those are doable with my children, the worst bit is the waiting around trying to keep them quiet. Scans, less possible for obvious reasons, not least of which they last longer. But you know your children best plus I can understand why you might not want them to see you have a blood test.